fy 


Hawaii  Agricultural  Experiment 


HONOLULU. 


E.  V.  WILCOX,  Special  Agent  in  Charge. 


PRESS    BULLETIN    INO.   24. 


A  Preliminary  Report 
Experiments 


By  F.  G.  KRAUSS. 

\^  NSW 

Expert    in    Agriculture,    Hawaii    Experiment    StVflfij,-    Un 
States  Department  of  Agriculture.   X 


;ress  inve'sfciea^,*'' 


The  Hawaii  Experiment  Station  has  in  progress  inve'sfciga, 
tions  in  the  culture  of  cotton,  of  which  this  bulletin  is  a  first  re- 
port. Nine  varieties  or  strains,  representing  three  distinct  class- 
es, are  under  comparative  test  for  yield,  quality  of  lint,  habits  of 
growth  and  methods  of  culture.  Considerable  attention  is  be- 
ing given  to  the  selection  of  superior  individual  specimens,  with 
a  view  to  securing  desirable  mother  plants  from  which  to  breed 
pure  strains.  It  is  believed  that  a  method  of  propagation  has 
been  devised  whereby  the  qualities  of  an  individual  plant  may  be 
perpetuated.  Owing  to  the  tendency  of  cotton  to  cross-fertilize, 
plants  propagated  by  seed  show  more  or  less  variability  and  any 
scheme  which  will  tend  to  establish  a  uniform  strain  should 
prove  a  distinct  aid  in  cotton  breeding. 

A  systematic  pruning  experiment  was  begun  as  soon  as  the  first 
crop  was  harvested,  the  general  culture  project  including  the  test 

Hawaii  has  exceptionally  fine  climatic  conditions  for  cotton.  The  in- 
creasing demand  for  cotton  in  the  world's  markets  puts  upon  us  the 
duty  of  adding  to  the  supply.  To  grow  the  best  cotton  requires  care- 
ful selection  of  seed.  This  cannot  be  done  in  the  nurseries  without 
danger  of  hybridzation.  Fortunately,  the  effects  of  crossing  can  be 
easily  avoided  by  the  propagation  of  selected  plants  through  cuttings. 
The  present  bulletin  contains  the  first  published  account  of  this  method 
as  applied  to  cotton.  By  its  use  the  cotton  breeder  will  be  able  to  ac- 
complish results  without  danger  of  the  mixing  of  strains  by  cross-ferti- 
lization.— E.  V.  Wilcox. 


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of  varieties  as  a  perennial  crop.  In  addition  to  the  experiments 
conducted  on  the  Station  grounds,  which  are  here  reported  in 
full,  several  cooperative  experiments  were  conducted  with  in- 
terested parties  in  different  parts  of  Oahu,  the  results  of  which 
are  only  briefly  recorded.  Beginning  with  the  present  year, 
two  carefully  planned  experiments  on  a  large  scale  were  under- 
taken wTith  private  parties  cooperatively,  the  Station  supplying 
the  seed,  fertilizers  and  supervision. 

That  much  local  interest  is  being  taken  in  cotton  culture  is  at- 
tested by  the  application  for  seed  and  information,  which  has 
taxed  the  Station  to  the  utmost.  Seed  has  been  distributed  to 
about  fifty  applicants,  representing  many  sections  throughout 
the  islands.  Altogether,  seed  sufficient  to  plant  about  200  acres 
has  been  distributed  within  the  last  twelve  months  and  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  at  least  100  acres  are  planted  to  cotton  at  this  time. 
While  definite  conclusions  cannot  be  drawn  from  a  single  set  of 
experiments,  the  present  data  may  indicate  some  of  the  possi- 
bilities of  cotton  growing  in  Hawaii. 

VARIETY  TESTS. 

Table  I  summarizes  the  results  of  the  first  year's  comparative 
test  of  varieties.  The  Sea  Island  type  of  cotton  is  characterized 
by  its  long,  strong,  silky  staple  especially  adapted  to  the  manu- 
facture of  fine  threads  and  mercerized  goods.  It  brings  the 
highest  price  of  all  cottons,  ranging  from  20  to  50  cents  a  pound, 
according  to  quality  and  supply.  The  demand  is  said  to  be  con- 
stantly increasing,  and  while  the  market  for  the  choicest  grades 
at  the  highest  prices  is  now  rather  limited,  it  does  not  seem  like- 
ly that  the  amount  that  may  be  grown  in  Hawaii  can  material- 
ly affect  the  market. 

As  will  be  seen  by  referring  to  Table  I,  seed  sown  March  9th- 
30th,  produced  a  first  picking  August  8th  ;  a  second,  September 
14th;  and  a  third,  on  October  12th.  The  Florida  strain  yielded 
at  the  rate  of  1322  pounds  seed  cotton  per  acre,  equivalent  to  409 
pounds  lint,  or  thirty-one  per  cent.  The  Georgia  strain  pro- 
duced at  the  rate  of  2270  pounds  seed  cotton,  yielding  31  per  cent 
fiber,  or  an  equivalent  of  703  pounds  lint  per  acre.  It  should 
be  noted  that  the  first  picking  gave  by  far  the  largest  yield,  main- 


ly  because  subsequent  pickings  became  infested  with  the  boll- 
worm.  The  quality  of  the  lint,  the  weights  of  which  are  record- 
ed, was  very  choice,  ranging  from  i  1-2  to  2  inches  in  length  and 
of  good  color  and  strength.  Aside  from  that  grown  at  the  Station, 
an  especially  fine  sample  of  lint  was  grown  at  Hauula  from  the. 
same  stock  of  seed.  Concerning  its  culture  the  grower  writes, 
under  date  of  October  19,  1908,  as  follows:  "The  seeds  were 
planted  last  April,  on  the  edge  of  a  marsh.  The  cotton  sent  you 
(13  1-4  pounds  seed-cotton)  is  from  about  forty  plants  growing 
from  six  to  eight  inches  apart  and  about  six  feet  high.  Much  of 
the  cotton  was  lost  owing  to  the  wind,  and  its  late  picking."  This 
little  test  represents  a  very  high  yield,  an  average  of  five  ounces 
per  plant,  from  one  picking,  with  plants  set  less  than  one  foot 
apart.  Another  lot,  grown  at  Waialee,  gave  similar  results.  A 
large  area  of  land  of  this  type  is  available  for  cotton  culture. 

Four  different  samples,  submitted  to  D.  N.  Shoemaker,  cot- 
ton expert,  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  at  Wash- 
ington were  rated  as  follows : 

"Sample  E* — Sea  Island,  (unginnedi),  Florida  Strain. 
Color,  white 

Length,  1  1-2—1  7-8  inches 
Strength,  good 
Drag,  good 

Covering  of  seed,  good  for  Sea  Island 
Uniformity  of  lint,  fair." 
"Sample  Ff— Sea  Island,  Georgia  Strain. 
Color,  white, 

Length,  1  1-2 — 1  7-8  inches 
Strength,  good 
Drag,  good 

Covering  of  seed,  good 
Uniformity,  good." 
The  A.  P.  Brantley  Company  reported   as  follows:    "We  should  say 
that  sample  H$  has  staple  quite    two  inches  in    length,  and  is    very 
strong,  fine  cotton.     We  consider  sample  G-*  to  have  staple  1  3-4  to  1  7-8 
inches  in  length  and  is  also  fine  and  strong. 

"We  do  not  think  there  is  any  Georgia  or  Florida  cotton  in  this  crop 
to  compare  with  this  cotton.  We  should  think  that  it  would  class  more 
nearly  with  Fine  or  Extra  Fine  Islands.  We  notice  that  these  two 
grades  are  quoted  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  at  22  and  24  cents. 

"It  is  quite  difficult  to  estimate  the  value  of  this  cotton,  because  it  is 
in  a  class  by  itself." 


*  Station  Test  No.  100 
f     Station  Test  No.  101. 

t    Hauula  cooperative  experiment. 

*  Waialee  cooperative  experiment. 


Samples  were  likewise  submitted  to  the  cotton  factors'  asso- 
ciation of  Bremen,  Germany,  who  made  a  most  extended  and 
favorable  report,  quoting  30  to  34  cents  per  pound  for  lots  of 
sufficient  quantity.  Other  reports  have  been  similarly  favor- 
able and  it  would  appear  that  there  is  an  active  demand  for  this 
quality  of  cotton  at  good  prices.  Compared  with  the  yields, 
obtained  in  the  Sea  Island  belt,  the  Station  experimental  yields, 
based  on  one-tenth  acre  plots,  as  well  as  those  of  smaller  lots 
grown  cooperatively,  were  very  satisfactory.  Authorities  are 
also  unanimous  as  to  high  quality  of  the  fiber.  It  would  appear 
that  the  samples  grown  on  the  windward  side  of  the  island  direct- 
ly facing  the  sea,  have  better  conditions  for  producing  the  de- 
sirable qualities  of  length,  fineness  and  strength  of  fiber. 

The  bolls  of  Sea  Island  cotton  are  small  as  compared  with 
those  of  other  types,  averaging  about  102  to  the  pound,  which, 
together  with  the  rather  tenacious  grasp  in  which  the  cotton  is 
held,  increases  the  cost  of  picking  over  that  of  other  sorts.  From 
50  to  60  pounds  of  seed  cotton  per  day  was  the  maximum 
amount  picked  by  a  fairly  active  Japanese  laborer,  or,  at  the  rate 
of  about  five  cents  per  pound  for  lint.  Experienced  pickers 
could  doubtlessly  do  much  better. 

At  this  writing  (March  30,  1909),  the  second  year's  crop  is 
well  under  way.  Squares  are  forming  in  great  profusion,  and  it 
is  believed  that  the  yield  will  average  50  per  cent  greater  than 
that  from  the  first  year  plants.  After  the  third  and  final  picking 
of  the  crop,  in  October  1908,  seven  months  from  seeding,  the 
pruning  experiment  was  begun  in  accordance  with  the  following- 
plan  :  Series  I,  plants  cut  back  immediately  after  final  picking, 
October  12th,  prunings  burned  to  destroy  infested  bolls;  Series 
II,  Plants  cut  back  immediately  following  December  rains;  Se- 
ries III,  Plants  cut  back  January  2,  1909;  Series  IV,  Plants  not 
pruned.  Two  types  of  pruning  were  adhered  to  under  each  se- 
ries. In  one  type,  the  plants  were  cut  back  to  within  three  or 
four  inches  of  the  ground,  which  is  designated  as  type  "A ;"  and 
in  the  other,  the  plants  were  pruned  back  to  12-20  inches,  or 
equivalent  to  one-third  to  one-half  their  original  growth,  which 
has  been  designated  as  type  "B."  Xo  laterals  were  permitted 
on  the  low  pruned  plants  but  spurs  bearing  two  to  four  buds 
were  maintained  on  the  long  pruned  canes,  if  they  were  well 
located. 


6 

Most  of  the  plants  had  shed  the  greater  part  of  their  leaves 
during  the  dry  period  following  the  last  picking  in  October,  and 
in  consequence,  remained  quite  dormant  up  to  the  first  rains  in 
December.  However,  the  plants  pruned  immediately  after  har- 
vest, especially  those  pruned  low,  were  forced  into  fairly  active 
growth  almost  immediately  after  being  cut  back.  The  different 
periods  and  types  of  pruning,  together  with  the  dry  and  wet  sea- 
sons, are  means  for  controlling  the  resting  period  of  the  plant, 
and  within  certain  limits,  the  subsequent  fruiting  period  and  har- 
vest of  the  crop.  Thus,  as  was  to  be  expected,  drought  and 
noninterference  brought  about  partial  dormancy,  while  on  the 
other  hand,  pruning,  irrigation  and  cultivation  stirred  the  plant 
to  renewed  activity,  apparently  in  direct  ratio  to  the  degree  and 
sequence  in  which  the  several  influencing  factors  were  applied. 
The  most  marked  results  followed  a  combination  of  all  the  con- 
ditions named. 

So  far  as  these  factors  can  be  controlled,  they  will  aid  the 
grower  in  securing  the  strongest  and  most  uniform  plants ;  in 
determining  the  best  seasons  for  maturity,  from  the  standpoint 
of  labor  and  prices ;  in  the  control  of  insect  pests  and  dis- 
eases ;  and  in  obtaining  the  quality  and  quantity  of  product, 
which  will  determine  success  or  failure. 

From  present  indications,  the  best  growth  is  secured  from 
low  pruning  in  January.  Plants  so  treated  are  making  the 
strongest  and  most  uniform  growth  of  wood,  and  appear  to  be 
the  most  prolific.  Their  season  of  ripening  should  prove  much 
more  favorable  than  that  of  plants  pruned  in  October.  The  lat- 
ter already  show  an  occasional  mature  boll,  as  well  as  great  irre- 
gularity in  fruiting  when  pruned  high.  It  should  be  remem- 
bered that  the  foregoing  applies  primarily,  if  not  entirely,  to  the 
Sea  Island  cotton. 

The  qualities  to  be  sought  in  Sea  Island  cotton  are  long  lint 
(i  3-4  inch  or  longer),  uniform  staple,  strength  and  drag  of  fiber, 
high  percentage  of  lint,  lustrous  cream-white  color,  fineness, 
productiveness,  well  formed  plants,  long  medium-large  well  filled 
bolls,  and  resistance  to  disease. 

There  is  every  indication  that  Sea  Island  cotton  will  adapt  it- 
self to  culture  as  a  perennial.  The  plants  on  the  Station  grounds 
are   entering   their   second  year  in   promising  conditon.     And 


as  is  well  known,  many  stray  specimens  in  the  islands  are  five  or 
more  years  old  and  still  flourishing.  A  limited  amount  of  Sta- 
tion grown  seed  is  available  for  distribution. 

Test  No.  1 02  deals  with  an  upland  type  of  cotton  of  Chinese 
origin.  The  seed  was  procured  from  Mr.  Ah  Ai,  to  whom  it  was 
sefnt  from  China  as  of  exceptional  quality.  The  fiber  is  said  to 
be  used  entirely  for  mixture  with  wool,  and  it  is  claimed,  com- 
mands a  ready  sale  at  prices  equivalent  to  about  40  cents  Ameri- 
can currency. .  As  will  be  seen  by  referring  to  Table  I  this  cotton 
gave  the  heaviest  yield  per  plant  of  all  varieties  tested,  sixteen 
plants  approximating  an  average  yield  of  one  pound  seed  cot- 
ton per  plant,  equivalent  to  1150  pounds  of  lint  cotton  per  acre, 
if  planted  2  1-2  by  5  feet  apart. 

The  plants  are  dwarf  as  compared  with  the  Sea  Island  type, 
of  broad  base  and  pyramidal  form ;  very  compact  and  of  uniform 
growth ;  fruiting  limbs  branch  frequently  and  occur  at  close  in- 
tervals. The  plant  is  an  extremely  prolific  and  continuous  bear- 
er. As  grown  at  the  Station  during  the  past  year,  the  plants 
were  slower  in  maturing  than  the  Sea  Island,  the  first  picking  be- 
ing made  September  12th.  An  average  of  nearly  50  mature 
bolls  per  plant  presented  themselves  at  one  time. 

The  locks  were  very  easily  picked  and  showed  some  inclina- 
tion to  shed  when  left  too  long.  Nearly  twice  as  much  of  this 
cotton  could  be  picked  in  a  given  time  as  of  Sea  Island,  the  bolls 
in  addition  being  somewhat  larger  and  more  easily  reached.  The 
percentage  of  lint  to  seed  is  larger  than  in  Sea  Island,  averaging 
34.5  per  cent,  but  the  fiber  bears  no  comparison  in  length. 

Concerning  samples  of  lint  of  this  variety  submitted  to  Mr. 
Shoemaker,  who  judged  the  Sea  Island  samples,  we  have  the 
following;  report : 

"Color,  white 
Length,  7-8  inches 
Strength,  good 
Drag,  fair 

Covering  of  seed,  fairly  heavy 
Uniformity  of  lint,  good." 

"It  would  grade  as  Very  fair  American  Upland  in  length/' 
The  Chinese    are  said  to    claim    for  it    unusual    qualities  of 
"warmth  and  feel,"  and  because  of  these  qualities,  it  is  termed 


8 

"fire"  cotton,  and  should  the  demand  and  prices  be  satis- 
factory  this  variety  may  prove  of  special  value  in  certain  local- 
ities where  Sea  Island  does  not  thrive.  It  seems  drought  re- 
sisting, and  is  believed  to  be  hard/.  The  plant  does  not  seem  to 
be  as  well  adapted  to  perennial  culture  as  Sea  Island,  a  number 
of  the  plants  dying  at  the  end  of  the  first  season.  Several  of  the 
pruned  plants,  however,  are  making  a  fairly  vigorous  growth 
and  may  in  time  acquire  the  habit  of  persisting  from  year  to 
year.  The  same  general  scheme  of  pruning  as  applied  to  the 
Sea  Island  cotton  was  adopted  for  this  variety,  but  the  limited 
number  of  plants  available  makes  conclusions  uncertain  at  this 
time.  Samples  of  lint  have  been  submitted  to  cotton  factors  in 
China  and  reports  will  be  given  to  the  press.  A  limited  amount 
of  selected  seed  is  available  for  distribution. 

The  Caravonica  cottons  (tests  Nos.  106-108),  were  grown  from 
seed  received  from  the  originator  in  Queensland  in  1905,  by  Mr. 
William  M.  Langton,  who  passed  it  on  to  the  Station  for  trial. 
The  seed  was  sown  in  July  and  is  probably  the  first  Caravonica 
cotton  grown  in  Hawaii.  Caravonica  ''wool,"  (test  No.  104), 
and  Caravonica  "silk"  (test  No.  105),  were  grown  from  seed 
secured  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Jordan  from  the  originator  in  1907. 

The  Caravonica  class  of  cottons  are  of  a  comparatively  new 
type,  of  hybrid  origin,  one  of  the  parents  unquestionably  being 
the  Sea  Island  with  a  probable  admixture  of  the  arborescent  kid- 
ney type.  The  three  strains  designated  by  the  originator  as 
"wool,"  "silk"  and  "kidney"  are  characterized  by  their  large,  up- 
right growth  which  assumes  a  tree  form  after  the  second  year. 
The  plant  succeeds  eminently  as  a  perennial  and  three  year  old 
plants  of  the  three  types,  grown  on  the  Station  grounds,  show 
every  indication  of  persisting  indefinitely. 

The  heavy  yielding  power  of  this  class  of  cottons  is  indicated 
in  Table  I,  (tests  Nos.  106-108).  A  conservative  estimate  of  aver- 
age yields  from  two  year  old  plants,  in  a  series  of  ten  speci- 
mens, are  104,  70  and  57  ounces  seed  cotton  per  single  plant, 
covering  a  period  of  approximately  twelve  months.  This  is 
equivalent  to  yields  of  4505,  2975  and  2448  pounds  of  seed  cot- 
ton, respectively  per  acre,  with  plants  set  10  x  10  feet  apart, 
which  allows  680  plants  per  acre.  The  percentage  of  lint  was 
37,  32  and  29  per  cent,  respectively.  The  length  and  quality  of 
the  fiber  had  greatly  deteriorated,  but  this  was  probably  due  to 


the  entire  neglect  of  the  plants,  which  had  not  been  tilled,  irri- 
gated or  pruned  for  over  a  year.  The  plants  appear  to  be  res- 
ponding to  a  severe  pruning  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  original 
quality  may  be  restored  by  careful  culture. 

Test  No.  103..  a  selection  from  the  neglected  plants  in  test 
No.  106,  yielded  a  considerably  better  sample  of  lint  than  was 
obtained  from  the  parent  plants.  The  yields  were  fair  consider- 
ing that  the  habit  of  this  class  is  to  fruit  late.  The  planting- 
was  made  at  the  same  distance  as  the  Sea  Island  and  Upland, 
which  overcrowded  the  plants,  doubtless  to  their  detriment.  The 
percentage  of  lint  was  not  so  high  as  in  the  parent  stock,  nor 
does  the  uniformity  appear  as  good.  This  may  be  explained  as 
being  due  to  cross-fertilization,  the  three  strains  being  planted 
in  close  proximity. 

Mr.  Shoemaker  submits  the  following  report  concerning  sam- 
ples of  this  variety : 

'"Sample  B — Caravonica  Wool  Cotton,  1908  Crop. 
Color,  slightly  darker  brown  than  A 
Length,  1  1-4 — 1  1-2  inches 
Strength,  very  strong 
Drag,  good 

Covering  of  seed,  fairly  heavy 
Uniformity  of  lint,  only  fair 
Seeds  many  of  them  of  the  'Kidney  type." 

'This  sample  lacks  a  great  deal  of  being  uniform,  and  this  is 
the  one  great  fault  of  Caravonica  cotton — it  is  a  hybrid  and  one 
of  the  parents  is  a  'Kidney'  cotton ;  that  is,  the  seeds  are  all 
glued  together  in  a  mass  in  the  center  of  each  lock.  The  lint 
in  this  sample  varies  greatly  in  length,  and  the  variation  in  the 
character  of  the  seeds  would  probably  make  considerable  diffi- 
culty in  ginning." 

Caravonica  "Wool"  (test  No.  104),  although  planted  at  ample 
distances  apart,  yielded  lightly,  averaging  6.3  ounces  seed  cot" 
ton  per  plant  up  to  November  30th,  eight  months  after  planting. 
A  subsequent  picking  in  December,  just  preceding  pruning, 
brought  the  yield  per  plant  up  to  the  average  Sea  Island.  Since 
however,  the  plants  require  at  least  twice  as  much  room  as  the 
Sea  Island,  and  Upland  types,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  yields  would 
be  smaller.  The  amount  of  lint  is  high,  averaging  about  40  per 
cent.  As  will  be  seen  from  Mr.  Shoemaker's  report,  which  fol- 
lows, the  quality  of  the  lint  is  considered  choice. 


TO 

Sample  C— Caravonica  Wool  Cotton,  1908  Crop. 
Color,  much  like  first  sample* 
Length,  1  1-4—1  3-8  inches 
Strength,  very  strong 
Drag,  good 

Covering  of  seed,  heavy 
Uniformity  of  lint,  fair..'* 

"I  think  this  sample  is  hardly  so  uniform  as  sample  "A" ;  but 
otherwise,  not  far  different." 

As  in  the  case  of  pruning  the  Sea  Island  cotton,  this  test  shows 
the  same  general  effects,  i.  e.,  late,  low  pruning  tends  to  the  pro- 
duction of  a  uniform  growth  of  canes,  together  with  unformity 
in  fruiting.  This  report  would  be  incomplete  without  a  brief 
mention  of  the  remarkable  results  obtained  by  Mr.  E.  C.  Smith 
at  The  Peninsula  near  Pearl  City.  In  a  well  sheltered  spot, 
some  thirty  hills  were  planted  to  the  identical  stock  seed  sown 
in  test  No.  104.  The  ground  is  of  a  broken  coral  formation  in- 
termixed with  a  dry  silty  loam.  It  appears  to  be  shallow,  but 
papaias,  bananas  and  other  garden  truck  thrive  with  but  little  ir- 
rigation. The  elevation  is  about  ten  feet  above  sea-level.  Sown 
on  January  6,  1908,  the  plants  began  bearing  in  August,  and 
have  continued  to  fruit  almost  uninterruptedly  up  to  the  present 
time.  Careful  test  weighings  from  the  three  best  plants,  cover- 
ing the  first  twelve  months  of  growth,  gave  the  following  yields 
in  seed  cotton,  averaging  40  per  cent  lint :  36,  40  and  48  ounces 
respectively. 

Of  this  cotton,  Mr.  Shoemaker  reports  as  follows : 

"Sample  A— Caravonica  Wool  Cotton,  1908  Crop. 
Color,  light  brown,  much  like  Egyptian 
Length  1  1-2—1  3-8  inches 

Strength,  very  strong,  much  stronger  than  ordinary  cotton. 
Drag,  very  good 
Covering  of  seed,  heavy 
Uniformity  of  lint,  good." 

"This  is  a  very  beautiful  sample  of  cotton,  and  I  believe  that  if 

you  could  secure  a  field  which  would  uniformly  produce  this 

grade,  that  it  would  be  very  much  more  valuable  than  any  other 

sample  submitted;  in  fact,  more  valuable  than  most  of  the  Sea 

Island  that  is  produced  anywhere  at  present." 


*  See  report  on   Caravonica  cotton   grown  by  E.  C.  Smith. 


II 

Samples  of  this  cotton  have  been  submitted  to  American,  Eng- 
lish, French  and  German  cotton  experts,  all  of  whom  have  made 
favorable  reports,  and  prices  ranging-  from  14  to  23  cents  per 
pound  have  been  freely  quoted.  It  seems  certain  that  this  va- 
riety would  prove  of  exceptional  fitness  to  well  sheltered  low- 
lands. An  extensive  area  is  being  planted,  and  definite  data  may 
be  looked  for  at  the  end  of  another  year.  A  cooperative  pruning 
experiment  is  being  conducted  with  Mr.  Smith's  plants.  It  ap- 
pears that,  under  his  conditions,  high  pruning,  similar  to  that 
practised  by  California    prune-growers,   will    give  the  best  results. 

CULTURAL  NOTES. 

Soil. — The  experiments  herein  recorded  were  conducted  at 
the  Station  grounds  on  a  well  drained,  silty  loam  of  fair  depth 
and  moderate  fertility.  The  cotton  plant  appears  to  thrive  best 
in  light,  rather  than  heavy  soils,  although  thrifty  plants  abound 
throughout  the  islands  on  all  kinds  of  soil. 

Temperature. — The  Station  records  show  the  minimum  tem- 
perature, covering  the  period  of  these  experiments,  to  have  been 
580  F.  and  the  maximum,  86°  F.  The  mean  minimum  was 
64. 50  and  the  mean  maximum,  84. 30.  The  average  tem- 
perature for  the  year  was  73.0°.  The  Station  grounds  are  at 
about  70  feet  elevation.  Xo  data  are  at  hand  on  the  limits  of 
temperature  and  elevation  for  the  cotton  crop  in  Hawaii,  but  it 
is  hoped  that  the  numerous  plantings  now  made  will  shed  need- 
ed light  on  this  phase  of  the  work. 

Moisture. — The  rainfall  during  the  period  in  this  report,  ap- 
proximated 30  inches.  In  addition  to  the  natural  precipita- 
tion, the  cotton  planted  in  March  received  three  irrigations,  all 
of  which  preceded  May  1st.  This  brought  the  total  moisture  up 
to  approximately  33  inches  for  the  year.  The  total  moisture 
supplied  up  to  the  first  picking  was  something  less  than  20 
inches.  It  is  believed  that  the  cotton  plant,  when  once  estab- 
lished, is  tolerant  to  a  lesser  amount  of  moisture  than  most  of 
our  cultivated  crops,  and  that  it  may  be  grown  over  a  wide  range 
of  unirrigated  territory  by  the  aid  of  thorough  tillage  calculated 
to  husband  limited  amount  of  soil  moisture.  The  moisture  in 
the  Station  cotton  plots,  as  determined  by  the  Station  chemist, 
was  found  to  be  14.06-17. 51  per  cent  one  foot  below  the  surface 
during  the  periods  of  greatest  growth. 


12 

Tillage. — Insufficient  tillage  was  accorded  the  cotton  plots 
during  the  earlier  stages  of  preparation.  After  lying  in  undis- 
turbed fallow  for  some  months,  the  ground  cracked  badly 
through  drought.  A  single  plowing,  followed  immediately  by  a 
discing  and  cross-discing,  preceded  the  planting  of  the  seed.  The 
short  interval  between  breaking  up  the  land  and  seeding  was  too 
short  to  prepare  a  suitable  seed  bed  and  bring  about  a  conserva- 
tion of  soil  moisture ;  and  a  preliminary  irrigation  had  to  be 
made  to  facilitate  germination.  Subsequent  tillage  was  frequent 
and  thorough,  and  although  the  season  was  unusually  dry,  two 
additional  irrigations  were  found  sufficient  to  carry  the  crop  to 
successful  fruiting.  Tillage,  has  been  found  to  be  a  most  im- 
portant factor  in  the  culture  of  cotton.  Deep  plowing,  at  least 
on  our  leeward  uplands,  where  the  nature  of  the  sub-soil  per- 
mits, would  seem  advisable.  Storage  room  is  thus  provided  for 
the  conservation  of  all  the  rainfall;  the  deep  rooted  cotton  ob- 
tains a  good  foothold  and  the  feeding  ground  for  the  extensive 
root  system  is  greatly  enlarged.  Frequent  shallow  surface  til- 
lage lessens  evaporation  by  providing  a  soil  or  dust  mulch  ;  keeps 
the  soil  aerated ;  destroys  weeds  and  avoids  the  harboring  of  in- 
sect pests. 

Planting. — The-  Sea  Island  cottons  and  Caravonica  "Wool" 
cotton  (103)  were  planted  in  hills  two  and  one-half  feet  apart  in 
rows  five  feet  apart,  or  3484  hills  per  acre.  Five  seeds  were 
planted  in  a  hill,  two  inches  deep.  All  but  a  single  strong  seed- 
ling were  removed  when  the  plants  were  six  to  ten  inches  tall. 
The  Sea  Island  seed  germinated  very  poorly  and  some  destruc- 
tion by  cut-worms  necessitated  considerable  transplanting  to 
make  a  full  stand.  Transplanted  seedlings  never  attain  as  good 
growth  as  plants  from  direct  sowings,  although  sturdy  seedlings 
may  be  successfully  transplanted  under  favorable  weather  condi- 
tions. 

With  late  plantings,  or  in  localities  with  minimum  moisture,  it 
is  recommended  to  plant  the  Sea  Island  and  Upland  cottons  in 
four  foot  rows,  hills  two  feet  apart  in  the  row.  Early  plantings 
in  more  favorable  locations  had  better  be  planted  2  1-2x5  ^eet 
apart.  Especially  important  is  this  wider  spacing  when  the  crop 
is  grown  as  a  perennial.  In  this  case  it  will  be  necessary  to  re- 
move every  alternate  plant  the  second  year,  making  the  final 
stand  5x5  feet,  or  1742  plants  per  acre.  Our  Caravonica  plants 
stand  approximately  8x8  feet  apart.      This  is  too  close  for  two 


13 

year  old  plants  under  our  conditions,  10  x  10  feet  would  be  bet- 
ter ;  but  for  less  favorable  conditions,  4x8  feet  apart  for  the 
first  year,  thinned  out  to  8  x  8  feet  would  give  good  results. 

The  Caravonica  Nos.  104  and  105,  were  planted  very  wide 
apart,  but  would  have  yielded  quite  as  wrell  had  they  been  plant- 
ed closer.  In  calculating  acre  yields,  5  x  10  feet  was  used  as  the 
space  factor.  The  results  obtained  with  Caravonica  No.  103 
indicate  that  much  closer  planting  would  be  feasible  for  the  first 
year's  growth,  but  more  experience  is  necessary  to  prove  this 
point.  It  has  also  been  found  that  close  planting  acts  as  a  pro- 
tective measure  against  destructive  winds,  especially  while  the 
growth  is  young  and  brittle.  The  severe  winds  of  November 
28th  and  29th  failed  to  damage  mature  plants,  while  less  severe 
winds  at  an  earlier  period  badly  shattered  the  Caravonica  plants 
growing  far  apart. 

To  avoid  the  expense  of  hand  tillage  as  much  as  possible,  it  is 
essential  that  planting  be  done  in  straight  check  rows  at  suffi- 
cient distances  apart  to  facilitate  horse  cultivation.  Planting 
may  also  be  done  with  a  horse  seeder,  but  until  seed  becomes 
more  plentiful,  it  will  be  more  economical  to  plant  by  hand. 
The  best  season  for  planting  has  not  yet  been  determined  ex- 
perimentally, but  it  is  believed  that  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  in 
good  working  condition,  after  the  first  of  January,  and  up  to  the 
first  of  March,  cotton  may  be  planted  on  the  leeward  side  of 
Oahu.  Planting  later  than  March,  unless  the  rainy  season  ex- 
tends beyond  that  time,  will  likely  result  in  the  plants  making  a 
poor  growth  unless  irrigation  is  provided.  On  the  other  hand, 
early  planting  should  be  avoided  in  excessively  wet  localities. 

To  a  certain  extent,  the  time  of  planting  controls  the  harvest- 
ing period.  The  aim  should  be  to  have  the  crop  mature  at  the 
most  favorable  season  for  picking,  both  from  the  standpoint 
of  weather  conditions  and  labor  supply.  During  the  past  year 
the  Upland  cotton  matured  in  six  to  seven  months ;  the  Sea 
Island  in  about  the  same  length  of  time ;  and  the  Caravonica. 
from  one  to  two  months  later. 

Fertilization  and  Rotation. — The  cotton  plant  is  a  strong  feed- 
er and  it  seems  very  likely  that  our  most  fertile  soils  may  within 
a  few  years  of  cotton  growing,  respond  profitably  to  a  rational 
system  of.  fertilization.  A  fertilizer  experiment  was  attempted 
in  connection  with  the  Sea  Island  cotton  during  the  past  year, 


14 

and  while  some  benefit  appears  to  have  resulted  from  the  appli- 
cation of  300  pounds  per  acre  of  a  complete  fertilizer ;  based  up- 
on the  removal  of  an  average  crop  of  cotton,  the  unusual  dry 
weather  made  the  outcome  too  uncertain  to  form  definite  con- 
clusions. We  now  have  in  progress  a  fertilizer  experiment 
covering  two  acres. 

That  the  rotation  of  other  crops  with  cotton  will  prove  benefi- 
cial, there  can  be  no  doubt.  Experiments  along:  this  line  are 
well  under  way ;  but  it  will  require  several  years  before  definite 
data  can  be  secured.  Corn,  soy  beans,  peanuts  and  other  legu- 
minous crops  would  enter  well  into  a  two  or  three-course  rota- 
tion. In  the  southern  United  States  corn  and  cow  peas  most 
frequently  enter  into  rotation  with  cotton,  although  in  the  Sea 
Islands  themselves,  rotation  is  too  often  neglected. 

Picking  and  Ginning. — Picking  will  probably  prove  the  heav- 
iest item  of  expense  and  one  of  the  most  difficult  problems  the 
Hawaiian  cotton  grower  will  have  to  meet,  until  the  industry  be- 
comes adjusted.  Tests  made  on  a  small  scale  at  the  Station  in- 
dicate, that  a  good  Japanese  laborer  can  not  pick  over  fifty 
pounds  of  average  Sea  Island  cotton  per  day  of  ten  hours  ;  pos- 
sibly a  fourth  more  of  Caravonica  ;  and  at  best,  a  hundred  pounds 
ot  Upland,  which  is  the  easiest  of  all  to  pick.  Greater  skill  would 
doubtlessly  be  acquired  with  experience.  Even  by  piece  work, 
the  cost  at  present  would  probably  run  from  $1 .00  to  $2.00  per 
too  pounds  seed-cotton,  depending  on  the  varietv  and  yield. 

The  removal  of  the  lint  from  the  smooth  seeded  cottons,  such 
a3  the  Sea  Island  and  Caravonica  types,  is  done  on  the  roller- 
gin  to  avoid  injury  to  the  long  and  more  delicate  staple.  The 
more  closely  adhering  and  coarser  Upland  lint  is  removed  on 
saw-gins,  which  also  have  greater  capacity.  Small  machines  of 
both  types,  are  on  the  market ;  but  a  large  central  ginning  plant 
would  prove  more  economical  when  the  area  under  cotton  war- 
ranted its  establishment.  For  experimental  purposes,  the  Sta- 
tion uses  a  simple  wooden  contrivance  of  Japanese  manufacture, 
which  is  well  suited  for  the  removal  of  seed  from  selected  plants. 
Its  cost  is  about  $5.00.  By  replacing  the  rubber  rollers  on  a 
wash-wringer,  with  wooden  ones,  a  simple  roller-gin  of  twenty 
01  thirty  pounds  daily  capacity  could  easily  be  made. 

Seed  Selection. — To  the  writer's  mind  the  most  important 
single  factor  in  the  future  success  of  the  cotton  industry  in  Ha- 


i5 

waii  will  be  the  development  and  maintenance  of  superior  strains 
of  the  type  of  cotton  which  proves  best  suited  to  a  given  locality. 
Grade  and  quantity  of  lint  are  the  chief  qualities  sought  for  in 
cotton,  although  the  value  of  seed  may  in  time  prove  equally 
important.  These  qualities  are  very  largely  hereditary,  and  as 
the  plant  is  extremely  variable,  the  opportunities  for  selection 
are  correspondingly  great. 

The  striking  difference  between  individuals  among  a  given  lot 
of  plants  are  well  illustrated  in  our  experiments  with  the  Sea 
Island  cottons.  In  row  4,  of  the  Florida  strain,  the  plants  rang- 
ed from  24  to  60  inches  in  height;  adjoining  plants  bore  30  to 
120  bolls,  and  yielded  four  to  18  ounces  of  seed-cotton.  The 
percentage  and  length  of  lint  were  somewhat  more  uniform, 
but  differences  in  these  respects  were  sufficiently  marked  to  al- 
low of  considerable  improvement  by  selection.  Other  qualities, 
such  as  early  and  late  maturing,  length  of  fruiting  period,  ease 
of  picking,  inclination  to  shatter,  resistance  to  pests  and  diseases, 
all  may  be  controlled  to  a  large  extent  by  careful  selection.  Some 
sixty  selections  of  individual  plants  have  been  made  during  the 
past  year  from  among  the  Station  plants.  These  will  be 
planted  separately  and  selection  made,  generation  after  genera- 
tion, a  definite  ideal  being  kept  in  mind.  It  will  be  well  for  grow- 
ers to  start  out  with  the  best  seed  obtainable,  and  then  select 
rigidly  their  best  plants  for  stock  seed. 

The  seed  from  each  mother  plant  should  be  sown  separately 
and  the  progeny  again  carefully  examined  for  breeding  plants 
showing  improvement.  A  single  plant  will  yield  500  or  more 
seeds  the  first  year,  and  the  progeny  from  this  stock  should  pro- 
duce sufficient  seed  to  plant  from  ten  to  twenty  acres  the  year 
following. 

In  the  search  for  a  method  whereby  the  qualities  of  an  in- 
dividual specimen  might  be  perpetuated,  a  scheme  of  propaga- 
tion by  layers  or  cuttings  was  hit  upon.  It  was  noted  that  the 
old  Caravonica  plants  budded  freely  from  the  surface  roots  and 
as  many  as  ten  plants  were  secured  from  a  single  lateral  by  this 
method.  This  suggested  that  similar  results  might  be  secured 
from  cuttings  of  the  branches  and  a  large  number  were  made 
from  immature  wood.  These  gave  indifferent  results  and  a 
more  systematic  experiment  was  undertaken  as  the  plants  ma- 


UNIVERSITY  OF  FLORIDA 


1262  08929  9142 


16 

tured  and  were  ready  for  general  pruning.  Accordingly,  on  De- 
cember 15th,  cuttings  were  made  from  a  number  of  select  plants, 
representing  the  three  classes  of  cotton  under  experiment.  Se- 
lecting the  best  formed  and  most  fruitful  branches,  cuttings  were 
made  from  the  tip  end,  the  intermediate  portion  and  the  base. 
Cuttings  eight  to  ten  inches  long  and  containing  five  to  eight 
eyes,  were  cut  from  each  of  the  three  divisions  and  planted  in 
the  field  after  the  manner  of  rooting  grape  cuttings.  The  Sea 
Island  and  Caravonica  cottons  rooted  equally  well,  about  fifty 
per  cent  of  all  the  cuttings  planted  rooting  and  making  a  satisfac- 
tory growth.  The  Caravonica  root  cuttings  practically  all  grew, 
and  are  making  a  fine  growth.  The  Upland  cuttings  failed  en- 
tirely. With  the  Sea  Island,  the  base  cuttings  rooted  best,  but 
with  the  Caravonicas,  the  tip  cuttings  gave  the  largest  percent- 
age of  strong  plants.  With  the  Caravonica  root  cuttings,  all 
portions  were  of  about  equal  value.  At  this  writing  one  hundred 
days  from  planting,  the  cuttings  have  grown  from  twelve  to 
thirty  inches  in  height.  Squares  are  forming  on  some  of  the 
advanced  plants,  and  the  general  growth  compares  favorably 
with  stock  grown  from  seed.  It  is  believed  that  a  larger  per- 
centage of  cuttings  can  be  made  to  grow  under  more  favorable 
conditions. 

Mr.  E.  C.  Smith  of  Pearl  City  has  demonstrated  that  it  is 
feasible  to  propagate  the  Caravonica  cottons  by  budding,  and 
this  method  would  likewise  lend  itself  to  furthering  the  work  in 
hand. 

The  plan  now  is  to  grow  any  desired  number  of  cotton  va~ 
rieties  and  strains  in  comparative  tests  and  as  individual  plants 
are  selected  for  breeding  purposes  they  are  marked.  When  the 
proper  time  for  pruning  arrives  all  available  wood  is  utilized  for 
cuttings.  These  are  then  planted  in  isolated  plots  and  allowed 
to  fruit.     The  resultant  seed  will  be  of  a  pure  strain. 

Should  continuous  inbreeding  tend  to  the  deterioration  of  a 
strain,  some  method  of  line-breeding,  as  successfully  practiced  by 
breeders  of  other  crops,  can  doubtlessly  be  devised,  the  ''ear-row" 
plan  for  the  improvement  of  cotton  being  suggested  as  a  feasible 
method.  The  important  point  is  that  we  now  have  a  simple 
method  whereby  the  exceptional  individual  when  once  found  may 
be  propagated  true  to  type. 


